13-year-old Dublin native Mark O'Brien fulfilled his dream on Thursday night when he was one of the lucky people to carry the Olympic flame in Brazil.
O'Brien, who has suffered with illness in recent years, wrote to the head of the Rio 2016 organising committee to ask to be part of the relay team, and he performed his duties last night in Volta Redonda.
🇨🇮 Mark O'Brien wanted to carry me in #London, but he was sick! 4ï¸âƒ£ years later, his dream became reality #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/gQdVm0UnlQ
— Olympic Flame (@OlympicFlame) July 28, 2016
The Blackrock native was inspired to run with the Olympic flame, after it came to Dublin four years ago ahead of the London Games. O'Brien was able to get his hands on a 2012 torch, which inspired him to try and be one of the lucky few to be given the honour in Brazil.
When dreams become reality 😠13-year-old Mark O'Brien carries the #OlympicFlame, a dream he's had since 2012! pic.twitter.com/pf8oBmXSFT
— Rio 2016 (@Rio2016_en) July 29, 2016
"Inspire a Generation" was the motto for London 2012 and it certainly did that for O'Brien. Luckily he did not encounter any trouble on his journey with the torch compared other torchbearers in recent weeks.
